Livestrong Ride Update

After writing emails and blog entries mentally over the course of the past three days, I finally sent the following email to my generous Livestrong contributors this morning. It’s not exactly what was in my head, but it’s what I was able to write after a very long weekend.

Livestrong Update,

“On a bright, cool Sunday morning Lance Armstrong led about 2,500 people who walked, ran and biked their way to a cancer cure. The group raised about $2.6 million.”

Austin American Statesman

Yesterday was a gorgeous day for cycling in Texas. Thousands of people showed up to walk/run/ride the Livestrong Challenge–

And I wasn’t one of them.

I had even determined that I was going to attempt the 40 mile ride despite never having riddent farther than 11 at one time — though I’ve ridden farther than that in a single day, broken into two or three long rides. I was geared up; I was ready; I was excited!

Friday evening my husband found our “Granny” unconscious and we have spent the past three days in hospitals with her, doing tests and waiting for answers (none, so far, although she was pretty much back to normal by Saturday evening).

Together, you donated $850 to the Lance Armstrong Foundation for my ride, and for that I’m very honored. I think we all know that THAT is the important thing, even though I’m personally disappointed that I didn’t get to do my part. However, I am scouting out other opportunities to ride 40 miles this fall that I can personally dub “our” Livestrong ride. I’ll keep you updated on that, though I have learned over the past month more than I wanted to about “best-laid plans.”

But I can’t close without saying this. Because Granny has lived 91 years without cancer, we can still worry about her, love her and care for her. Because she didn’t get attacked by the Big C at the age of 50, when her own mother died of breast cancer, Granny was able to have a deathbed gathering of her children, grandsons and other family members 4 weeks ago, with her pulse fluctuating between 22 and 50, and when we were all suitably tearful, burst out of her semi-coma with a hoarse rendition of “Little Brown Jug,” all the verses, and startle us all into hysterical laughter. Because she has lived this long wonderful life (perhaps a tad past her mental ability to quite keep up with reality all the time) she was able to announce to the Occupational Therapists last week that what they wanted her to do was “bullshit!” followed by, “Now let me go back to bed.” And because she is the most stubborn of fighters, she’s still in there slugg ing away and waiting for the docs to figure out what’s wrong so she can go back to her normal activities (if “normal” can describe her latest antics, that is).

Our family has seen too many loved ones succumb to Cancer. But we’ve also experienced the joy of many of their long lives and their shining examples of how to live life to the fullest, and now I wish the same to all of you.

And hopefully, an update on “our” Livestrong ride will find its way to you in a few weeks.

Thanks again –
Pooks

participants and their stories

And while I’m at it — the Cowboys don’t suck until I say they suck. And Hook ‘em, ‘Horns. And I think that may cover all the “events” I missed this weekend while doing more important things. Thanks!

“fancy little football person”

“The officers reacted because they were called to this location to do this job. Now they’re being put under a microscope by some fancy little football person,” he said. “Give me a break. Those officers are 10 times better than this man. … We police officers don’t go out to these calls and make stuff up.”

Now, believe me, I don’t blame Senior Corporal Glenn White for being a bit, shall we say peevish? Over the fact that Terrell Owens’ PR person Kym Etheredge claimed the police reports of his “suicide attempt” were inaccurate. (Of course, T.O. himself only says he doesn’t remember any of it.)

But really — “fancy little football person?”

Not to be out done –

Terrell Owens placed “Fancy Little Football Person” T-shirts in several of his teammates’ lockers this afternoon….

In other news, we’ll be on our way home from Austin and listening to T.O.’s Philly homecoming on the radio.

That’s okay. It’s a good broadcast.

And Dallas is going to win.

In the meantime, I’m still giggling over “fancy little football person” t-shirts.

Oh hell, I couldn’t resist!

Lance Armstrong Foundation

As you probably realize, the resident storm chaser and I are cycling in the LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE in Austin this October.

I’ve blogged a bit about it, and a bit about my cycling in general. I’m loving the actual cycling, and the challenge that the event is giving me to prepare. I’m loving that I’m raising money for a terrific cause. I’m loving that I’m doing something in memory of a lot of terrific people, including some of my dearest loved ones.

And then I found out an online friend has liver cancer.

And it was at least three, maybe five days later before it hit me –

SHE is who The Lance Armstrong Foundation is for. And I hadn’t even suggested to her that she visit their site. I felt worse than embarrassed; I felt a little dumb and a little ashamed for not connecting the dots between what I’m training for, and how I might be a more direct help to someone I know by making sure she had the aids she could get from the Foundation.

So I went to the site, found the links to get free stuff (some really good materials there) and sent the links to her.

She told me that she’d already been to the site and also gotten the book, Live Strong and is reading it. She also told me that she would never have thought to go to that site or look for the books if it hadn’t been “my work” with the Foundation.

Me, riding a bike, having fun, spending too much money to get ready for the ride, isn’t work.

What she has ahead of her is.

But maybe I can make up for a little bit of my oversight by making sure YOU know about the site, so that you can send others there who might need a little more knowledge or support or information.

Send them here: Lance Armstrong Foundation

NOTE: Lance Armstrong Foundation has the highest ranking (4 stars) offered by the respected Charity Navigator site.

Photo from Austin American Statesman.

I’m riding for Mari.

(sixth in a series)

Mari is my sister. She survived cancer and every day I pray that it doesn’t come back. Sometimes I really worry. She’s an artist and a super creative teacher and funny as hell, but she is a moody Philo so I pray that she stays positive, stays cancer free. Let the light, shine on!

I am proud to ride for Mari. Thanks, Joan!

Philo girls rock!

“Wash me!!!”

Look closely.

Did you notice the windshield wiper?

more dust art

All this, and he’s voting for Kinky, too! Yeeeha!

Via Merlin’s Tower.